How Much Does a Brazilian Butt Lift Cost? Fees & Financing

Due to celebrities like Kim Kardashian-West, the popularity of Brazilian Butt Lifts has exploded over the last few years, and the procedure is often performed as part of a total body transformation.

There are young women interested in filling out tighter and lower jeans. There are moms who combine the Brazilian Butt Lift with a Tummy Tuck to receive a flattened stomach along with a contoured behind. And there are women in their 40s and 50s who notice drooping skin and loss of buttock volume who want to remove fullness from the flanks and add it to the buttocks.

When it comes to the cost of plastic surgery, butt lifts particularly, it may feel like you’re running flat (pun intended) when it comes to finding a straightforward answer. At Austin-Weston, it’s our mission to provide patients with straightforward answers, so, in this article we are going to uncover the variables that go into the price tag for a Brazilian Butt Lift.

Like most procedures, the cost of a butt lift varies per person because it is tailored to meet an individual’s needs, body type and desired results. Some patients may have a small problem area that can be addressed in as little as an hour of surgery. Others may be doing almost the entire body and the procedure can take hours. Because of this variability, a Brazilian Butt Lift can cost anywhere between $8,000 and $15,000.

When determining the cost of a butt lift, there are several factors to consider, including:

Treatment Areas

Body Type

Surgeon Selection

Geographic Location

Surgery-Related Expenses

Treatment Areas

The Brazilian Butt Lift is a combination of procedures, with the goal of producing a sculpted and lifted buttocks region. This is achieved by first liposuctioning the region above the buttocks, commonly referred to as the ‘flanks,’ ‘hip rolls,’ ‘love handles,’ or ‘muffin top.’ By removing fat above the buttocks, it allows the skin to redrape into this space, effectively lifting the buttocks.

While liposuction alone can have a lifting effect on the buttock, combining this procedure with fat grafting, also called fat transfer, only amplifies the result. The fat liposuctioned from the flanks is saved and re-injected into the buttocks tissues to make the buttocks larger and shapelier. This ‘grafted’ fat then potentially lives in the buttocks region forever. Because the buttocks have fat cells naturally, the result feels and looks natural. The combination of narrowing the waist by liposuctioning the flanks, and simultaneously enlarging the buttocks with fat transfer, is what makes up the Brazilian Butt Lift.

Body Type

Larger patients with more fat deposits may need to have a longer procedure to adequately remove the extra fat and achieve a smooth contour of the buttocks.

Interestingly, very thin patients with only a small area to address can also take longer because of the finer instrumentation required to achieve a smooth contour. The principle of any liposuction procedure is that the fat left behind is as important as the fat removed. The ideal result is smooth, not just de-bulked of fat.

The more areas a patient chooses to have addressed at one time, the longer the procedure will take. An example of this is a patient having liposuction of the abdomen, flanks, or arms to be inserted into the buttocks. Surgery is usually billed by how long the patient will be in the operating room, so a one hour case is less expensive than a five-hour case. Typically, larger areas such as an entire abdomen or back will cost more than a smaller area like the inner thighs because larger areas take longer to treat.

Surgeon Selection

The most important factor for you to consider as a patient is surgeon selection. Part of this is done by checking on the surgeon’s online reviews and reputation. Another part is meeting the doctor in person to make sure they understand your concerns, and that you have a good feeling about interacting with the doctor and having your needs met.

A highly experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon may charge more than a less knowledgeable or respected doctor, but that isn’t necessarily true. There are some novice surgeons who seek out wealthy clientele using aggressive marketing, but after reviewing that doctor’s credentials, they may not be who they claim regarding experience, board certification, or skill.

All surgeons have their own approach to performing butt lift procedures as each doctor has different amenities at their disposal and different levels of experience and accreditation.

Geographic Location

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) lists the national average of plastic surgery physician fees. These prices vary widely among regions, with plastic surgery hotspots like Manhattan, Beverly Hills, Miami, Dallas and Los Angeles at the higher end of the spectrum. More lightly populated regions like North and South Dakota, Idaho, Mississippi and Arkansas charge much less. Mid-level costs are incurred in Phoenix, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, New Mexico and Illinois along with locations away from big cities within high-priced states.

The reason plastic surgery costs vary based on geographic locations, such as major urban centers, is usually due to higher overhead costs for surgeons in these areas. So, the first step in considering what you’ll pay is looking at fees where you live and how much the cost of living is in that area. To find ballpark prices for procedures based on location by using the Healthcare Blue Book (it works the same way the famous Kelley Blue Book lists the prices of cars).

Surgery-Related Expenses

You should ask the surgeon directly if these are all the costs involved in your estimate. Since there are no set costs for any of these expenses, it can be useful to explore multiple options by meeting with several surgeons and getting estimates for not only their surgeon fees but also the additional surgical-related expenses. When estimating the cost of a butt lift, make sure to account for the following surgery-related expenses:

Anesthesia Fees

Surgical Facility Fees

Prescription Medications

Post-Surgery Garments

Anesthesia Fees

The cost of anesthesia for a butt lift can vary significantly for each patient. You want to make sure anesthesia is provided by a board-certified anesthesiologist or a board-certified CRNA (nurse anesthetist). If a surgeon uses a non-certified anesthetist nurse or a medical assistant to push the anesthetic drugs (and yes, unfortunately, this does happen), then your safety may be at risk.

Anesthesia costs are typically billed by the hour, and you should ask in advance what happens if the surgery goes longer than expected and who will pay the extra anesthesia time.

Surgical Facility

This is an important factor to consider not only because of overall cost but because it may put a price tag on the importance of your safety and satisfaction. The importance of having your procedure performed in an accredited surgical facility by qualified staff is critical in the decision-making process. Do not try to cut costs by sacrificing safety and having your procedure performed at a non-accredited practice or by a surgeon who is not certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Financing Options

After calculating the cost of surgeon’s fees, anesthesia, surgical facility fees and all other expenses, total fees for a Brazilian Butt Lift can reach between $8,000 and $15,000. Many people don’t have this amount of money at their immediate disposal, but when the decision is made that it’s the right time to undergo the procedure, it becomes necessary to consider financing options. Practices almost always accept credit cards, but patients should carefully consider the associated interest rates of all available options. Also, there are several third-party financing companies that deal exclusively with those who want or need treatments that are not covered by insurance.

Don’t Cut Quality Corners

While cost is obviously an important consideration when it comes to butt lift surgery, it is not the most important one. Patients should remember that their health and cosmetic satisfaction are ultimately the top priorities. Choosing an inexperienced doctor to save some money could cost far more in the long run if they require a corrective procedure or if they develop serious health complications.
The four board-certified surgeons at Austin-Weston Center are members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), and have performed countless facelift procedures resulting in a revitalized look that appears natural and youthful.

Here at Austin-Weston, our surgeons are dedicated to providing patients with the results they desire and the care and safety they deserve. To find out more about your plastic surgery options, please call (703) 893-6168 to schedule a free consultation.